"so it was surprising to read that New Zealand was the best.."

[chuck]

Otherwise known as a place to post rugby news.

Which will probably just be my Welsh associate and myself, but even the little people need love too.... (Cue velcro jokes.....)

The thread title is from the fifa thread - where 3498 said:

I try to watch rugby whenever it's on TV (afaik the Samoans should be the best at it, so it was surprising to read that New Zealand was the best)

It's that lack of knowledge that vexes me - sorely vexes me it does. So thus this thread.

Start here for some reading on the Blackness.

And so as to transition from the vuvuzela infused madness of football in SA - please watch this video first - Invictus - South African rugby's greatest day - reborn from the shackles of apartheid.... if it was filmed today.

did play for about half a year until my health insurance ran out. I think it combines the best elements of soccer and American football and is way more entertaining than either. Shame it hasn't caught on here...although football here is going through a lot of criticism because of how unsafe it is and how much brain damage some of these guys are getting...I can't imagine what they'd say about rugby!!!!

Dude - I think that might be why rugby will struggle in US - the whole health insurance thing for starters. The Glenn Beck's of the world will insist it's a socialist sport - because here in NZ we have ACC - nationalised (almost) health care - that provides care for anyone injured in an accident - which includes all sports accidents.

But the All Blacks are 15 months out from hosting the rugby world cup in 2011. It'll be the first time NZ has hosted since 1987 - which is the last time the ABs won it. As anyone from England, Oz, SA will remind you....

Cracking game it is. Tri-Nations series has just started - which involves NZ, Australia and South Africa - will post more as the series develops.